Effect of Catalyst Layer Ionomer Content on Performance of Intermediate Temperature Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells (IT-PEMFCs) under Reduced Humidity Conditions

Min Kyung Cho; Hee Young Park; So Young Lee; Byung Seok Lee; Hyoung Juhn Kim; Dirk Henkensmeier; Sung Jong Yoo; Jin Young Kim; Jonghee Han; Hyun S. Park; Jong Hyun Jang

doi:10.1016/j.electacta.2016.12.009

Effect of Catalyst Layer Ionomer Content on Performance of Intermediate Temperature Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells (IT-PEMFCs) under Reduced Humidity Conditions

Min Kyung Cho, Hee Young Park, So Young Lee, Byung Seok Lee, Hyoung Juhn Kim, Dirk Henkensmeier, Sung Jong Yoo, Jin Young Kim, Jonghee Han, Hyun S. Park, Jong Hyun Jang

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

34 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

For intermediate-temperature polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (IT-PEMFCs), the effects of the cathode gas flow rate and the ionomer content are experimentally examined at 120 °C under conditions of low relative humidity (RH). The IT-PEMFC operation at low RH should be beneficial in developing compact systems with smaller humidifiers. First, analysis of the effect of gas flow rate at various current densities confirms that drying of the membrane electrode assembly (MEA) is an important factor in IT-PEMFC operation, whereas cathode flooding becomes significant in regions of high current density with low flow rates. Then, MEAs with various contents of Aquivion™ ionomer are fabricated, and the combined effect of drying and flooding is further investigated by IT-PEMFC tests at various RH conditions and current densities. The optimum ionomer content increases with decreasing current density at 20% RH or below, indicating that MEA drying becomes dominant over cathode flooding.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	228-234
Number of pages	7
Journal	Electrochimica Acta
Volume	224
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.electacta.2016.12.009
Publication status	Published - 2017 Jan 10

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
This work was supported by Korean Government through the New & Renewable Energy Core Technology Program of the Korea Institute of Energy Technology Evaluation and Planning (KETEP) funded by MOTIE [No. 20133030011320, No. 20143010031770 and No. 20153010041750] and the National Research Foundation of Korea funded by the MSIP [NRF-2015M1A2A2056554]. This study was also financially supported by the KIST through the Institutional Project and the K-GRL program.

Publisher Copyright:
© 2016 Elsevier Ltd

Keywords

Drying
Gas flow rate
Intermediate-temperature polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell
Membrane electrode assembly
Relative humidity

ASJC Scopus subject areas

General Chemical Engineering
Electrochemistry

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10.1016/j.electacta.2016.12.009

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Cho, M. K., Park, H. Y., Lee, S. Y., Lee, B. S., Kim, H. J., Henkensmeier, D., Yoo, S. J., Kim, J. Y., Han, J., Park, H. S., & Jang, J. H. (2017). Effect of Catalyst Layer Ionomer Content on Performance of Intermediate Temperature Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells (IT-PEMFCs) under Reduced Humidity Conditions. Electrochimica Acta, 224, 228-234. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.electacta.2016.12.009

Cho, MK, Park, HY, Lee, SY, Lee, BS, Kim, HJ, Henkensmeier, D, Yoo, SJ, Kim, JY, Han, J, Park, HS & Jang, JH 2017, 'Effect of Catalyst Layer Ionomer Content on Performance of Intermediate Temperature Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells (IT-PEMFCs) under Reduced Humidity Conditions', Electrochimica Acta, vol. 224, pp. 228-234. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.electacta.2016.12.009

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abstract = "For intermediate-temperature polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (IT-PEMFCs), the effects of the cathode gas flow rate and the ionomer content are experimentally examined at 120 °C under conditions of low relative humidity (RH). The IT-PEMFC operation at low RH should be beneficial in developing compact systems with smaller humidifiers. First, analysis of the effect of gas flow rate at various current densities confirms that drying of the membrane electrode assembly (MEA) is an important factor in IT-PEMFC operation, whereas cathode flooding becomes significant in regions of high current density with low flow rates. Then, MEAs with various contents of Aquivion{\texttrademark} ionomer are fabricated, and the combined effect of drying and flooding is further investigated by IT-PEMFC tests at various RH conditions and current densities. The optimum ionomer content increases with decreasing current density at 20% RH or below, indicating that MEA drying becomes dominant over cathode flooding.",

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author = "Cho, {Min Kyung} and Park, {Hee Young} and Lee, {So Young} and Lee, {Byung Seok} and Kim, {Hyoung Juhn} and Dirk Henkensmeier and Yoo, {Sung Jong} and Kim, {Jin Young} and Jonghee Han and Park, {Hyun S.} and Jang, {Jong Hyun}",

note = "Funding Information: This work was supported by Korean Government through the New & Renewable Energy Core Technology Program of the Korea Institute of Energy Technology Evaluation and Planning (KETEP) funded by MOTIE [No. 20133030011320, No. 20143010031770 and No. 20153010041750] and the National Research Foundation of Korea funded by the MSIP [NRF-2015M1A2A2056554]. This study was also financially supported by the KIST through the Institutional Project and the K-GRL program. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2016 Elsevier Ltd",

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AU - Cho, Min Kyung

AU - Park, Hee Young

AU - Lee, So Young

AU - Lee, Byung Seok

AU - Kim, Hyoung Juhn

AU - Henkensmeier, Dirk

AU - Yoo, Sung Jong

AU - Kim, Jin Young

AU - Han, Jonghee

AU - Park, Hyun S.

AU - Jang, Jong Hyun

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PY - 2017/1/10

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N2 - For intermediate-temperature polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (IT-PEMFCs), the effects of the cathode gas flow rate and the ionomer content are experimentally examined at 120 °C under conditions of low relative humidity (RH). The IT-PEMFC operation at low RH should be beneficial in developing compact systems with smaller humidifiers. First, analysis of the effect of gas flow rate at various current densities confirms that drying of the membrane electrode assembly (MEA) is an important factor in IT-PEMFC operation, whereas cathode flooding becomes significant in regions of high current density with low flow rates. Then, MEAs with various contents of Aquivion™ ionomer are fabricated, and the combined effect of drying and flooding is further investigated by IT-PEMFC tests at various RH conditions and current densities. The optimum ionomer content increases with decreasing current density at 20% RH or below, indicating that MEA drying becomes dominant over cathode flooding.

AB - For intermediate-temperature polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (IT-PEMFCs), the effects of the cathode gas flow rate and the ionomer content are experimentally examined at 120 °C under conditions of low relative humidity (RH). The IT-PEMFC operation at low RH should be beneficial in developing compact systems with smaller humidifiers. First, analysis of the effect of gas flow rate at various current densities confirms that drying of the membrane electrode assembly (MEA) is an important factor in IT-PEMFC operation, whereas cathode flooding becomes significant in regions of high current density with low flow rates. Then, MEAs with various contents of Aquivion™ ionomer are fabricated, and the combined effect of drying and flooding is further investigated by IT-PEMFC tests at various RH conditions and current densities. The optimum ionomer content increases with decreasing current density at 20% RH or below, indicating that MEA drying becomes dominant over cathode flooding.

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Effect of Catalyst Layer Ionomer Content on Performance of Intermediate Temperature Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells (IT-PEMFCs) under Reduced Humidity Conditions

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

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